Steve's Secret
by HetaliafangirlMW19
Summary: Steve has been avoiding Tony and Tony wants to know why.


Tony's POV

Steve had been acting strange lately, well, stranger than usual. He already acts strange because of the whole raised in the 40s thing, but this was a different kind of strange. There was something that Steve was hiding and whatever it was that he was hiding, he was hiding it really, really, well. He couldn't even figure it out with the help of Jarvis, his personal AI. Well, at least if Jarvis did know something, he sure wasn't telling Tony.

It was like Steve's demeanor had changed completely. He used to be around Tony most of the day, helping lift things in the lab, watching TV in the living room with Tony, or asking Tony for the fiftieth time how to use the coffee maker or his cell phone or computer or well, really anything that wasn't circa 1940. But now? He avoided Tony as much as possible and on the rare occasions that Steve actually did run into Tony, he acted awkward, his face got really red, and he quickly made up some outrageous excuse to leave.

Tony hadn't worried about it too much when he first started to avoid him because this happened on a regular basis whenever Steve and Tony got into a fight about something (usually something really stupid or ridiculous), but now that Tony thought about it, he hadn't really done anything that would upset Steve. He didn't think he had at least. Yeah, on second thought, I better ask him, Tony thought as he sits down at the breakfast bar waiting for Steve to appear, knowing he would have to come this way to get to his usual hiding spot, the gym.

After a good fifteen minutes or so of waiting, Tony was about to give up when Steve finally appeared, making a beeline to the gym.

Here's my chance, thought Tony. "Hey!" Steve didn't stop walking or even slow down, "Hey, Steve, Wait up!" He yelled getting up and going after Steve, who only stopped when Tony grabbed his arm. "Hey, silly, I was talking to you," Tony said teasingly, looking up at Steve, who looked less than amused.

Noticing this, Tony quickly sobered up and cleared his throat. "Anyway, can I talk to you about something for a sec?" He asked, hopeful.

Steve took a minute to respond and then gave a very hesitant "Yes," knowing any other response would be rude and raise suspicion.

"Good," Tony said, pulling him to the breakfast bar to sit down, "Let's talk."

Steve's POV

Great, Steve thought Jarvis probably told him that I have feelings for him and wants to make fun of me. Steve didn't have too much time to think really depressing, heart wrenching thoughts before he was pulled into a seat beside Tony at the breakfast bar.

There was a short pause in the conversation where Tony didn't speak and Steve just wanted to die of embarrassment or just run away from the Stark tower and never return

Finally, Tony looked up at Steve and attempted to speak. "Well...Umm...Yeah," Tony stuttered trying to form an actual sentence, but just fell silent again. Under any other circumstances, Steve would have been patient and would have waited for him to answer, but right now, Steve was really short fused and impatient. Steve began to get up to leave, when Tony grabbed his wrist once again, making both of their hearts flutter. "Wait, Steve, Do you-Are you mad at me?" Tony blurted out, looking uncomfortable.

Steve gave Tony a funny look that quickly turned into his goofy did-you- really-just-ask-me-that smile that was specially reserved for Tony. "No, I'm not mad at you, why would you even think that?" Steve asked, knowing well why Tony would think he was mad at him, but it was Tony's fault to begin with. It's not like Steve had wanted to fall in love with Tony, it had just...happened. Not that it mattered, Steve knew that Tony was straight and probably would hate him if he knew he liked him. "Oh, well, it's just that you've been ignoring me lately and you never do that unless you're mad at me," Tony replied still confused.

Not ignoring, thought Steve, just artfully not going the places that you would be, so I don't slip up and do something stupid, like tell you that I like you "No, that isn't because I'm mad at you, that's a completely, umm," Steve tried to think of a better way to tell Tony why he was ignoring him, but didn't find one. "That's a completely different reason," Steve replied, scratching the back of his head nervously, hoping he would just leave it at that. No such luck.

"Really? Why?" Tony asked curiously, his interest obviously peaked.

Rats, now he's got me, Steve thought worriedly. He looked around the room for an excuse, his eyes finally resting on his watch. "Oh, it's nothing, really," Steve assured Tony, "Well, look at the time, I better get going to the gym!" He hopped of the barstool eagerly and hightailed it to the gym, glad that that was over.

Tony's POV

Well, that was definitely weird, even for him. He's never acted like that before, I wonder what's wrong with him, maybe I'll just ask Jarvis, Tony thought to himself.

"Jarvis?" Tony asks looking up at the ceiling, waiting for his AI to respond, he didn't have to wait long.

"Yes, sir," Jarvis responds almost instantaneously.

"What's wrong with the Cap?" Tony asks, hiding the worry in his voice easily.

Jarvis doesn't respond for a moment, probably looking through files and observing Steve's recent behavior, after all the calculations are finished, he responds, "Sir, I do not believe that it is something that I am at liberty to say, but I do recommend asking him about it."

"Ughhhh... Is it really that important?" Tony moans, not really wanting to get up.

"Well, considering you based my intelligence on your own, sir, I would say so," Jarvis answered sassily.

Tony rolls his eyes at Jarvis' last remark, only he could have been stupid enough to make an AI with an attitude. "Is it something bad?" Tony wonders aloud to himself, but gets a reply anyway.

"No, sir, based on my records, it is not."

"Good, then I'll just wait until he decides to tell me, since it isn't anything bad," Tony decides to procrastinate instead of just talking to Steve, not that he was really in the mood for confrontation anyway.

"Sir, with all due respect, I would suggest you ask him now or you may never get it out of him," Jarvis urged.

"No, it's cool, I don't care anymore," Tony lied, not wanting to give Jarvis the satisfaction of proving him right.

"If you do not ask him, sir," Jarvis responded, the last part sassily, "I may just slip Mr. Rogers some evidence that would highly suggest that you have more than platonic feelings for him."

Tony's eyes widen at the thought, "You wouldn't ."

"Would you like to test that theory, sir?" Jarvis said with an attitude.

Seeing no other option, Tony sighs and gives up, "Fine, you win, I'll ask him, but that was seriously below the belt man."

"I only do what I believe is necessary."

"Yeah, I'm sure you do do," Tony remarks grumpily. What could be so important that Jarvis would threaten to tell Steve I liked him? Tony wondered as he grabbed a soda and walked towards the gym.

Steve's POV

Steve finally gets to the gym and let's out a relieved breath of air that he had limboed his way out of his and Tony's conversation, even more grateful that Tony hadn't followed him, considering it would have been really awkward to explain why he had run away to begin with. He wraps his hands and puts up one of the punching bags, knowing it wouldn't stay up very long. The more frustrated he was, the fewer swings it took to knock the bags down, they hardly stayed there long enough for Steve to break a sweat to begin with.

He had only been in the gym for twenty or so minutes and already on his third punching bag, when Tony walked in. This just isn't my day, Steve thought even though he knew that Tony would have eventually brought it up anyway. He briefly turns his attention back to the punching bag to give it one last death blow before it flies across the room with sand spilling out.

He looks back at Tony, who looked more than a little surprised, "You're already on your forth bag?" He asks taking into account the one in the corner, sand still falling out of it.

"Yeah, I guess so," Steve replied, shrugging his shoulders, hoping he looked nonchalant.

Tony just shakes his head in response and pulls a chair up, turning the back of it to Steve and straddling it.

"So... Did you want something?" Steve asks nervously as he puts up another punching bag.

"Um, yeah, can you pull up a chair?"

Steve pulls one up copying the way Tony was sitting, waiting for Tony to start talking.

"Something's been bugging you," Tony states after a less than comfortable pause.

Well, I guess it's too late to back out of this conversation, Steve thought trying to hide the conflicting thoughts that were whirling through his head. "Y-yeah," Steve confirms Tony's suspicion tediously.

Silence

Tony sighs again impatiently, "Well, are you going to tell what's bugging you?"

Steve makes a face, hoping Tony would take the hint and leave, no such luck. Tony doesn't say anything, but looks a little hurt. Steve continues, knowing there was no other option, "Well, Will you, no-Do you- Have you ever been in love?" Steve blurts, instantly regretting it and blushing furiously.

Tony nearly spits out his soda and nearly chokes on it. There was no doubt that Tony was a little startled, but he quickly gathers his composure, deciding to answer truthfully for once in his life, "Um, yeah, actually I am right now," he said, turning his head, attempting to hide his blush that was creeping up his neck.

"Really, Who?" Steve asked, not bothering to hide his apparent interest.

"Nope, you first, Capsicle," Tony replied goofily, grinning widely.

"I'd rather not tell you," Steve says honestly, "I really didn't think you'd be that interested." There was an awkward pause, I guess Tony didn't think I would refuse to tell him, Steve guessed, waiting for Tony to say something.

"Well, then, how about if guess who you'll tell me?" Tony compromised.

"Sure," Steve agreed easily, he'll never guess himself, hopefully.

Tony's POV

Wow, Steve was in love. That's probably the last thing I would have guessed if I had to. I'd like to think it was me, but I know that would be really arrogant and not to mention set myself up to be disappointed. Either way, I knew I'd probably be disappointed by the answer, so this probably wasn't a very good idea, but it's too late to back out now! Tony thought, realizing the actuality of the situation. "Well, okay, how about you give me three hints, so I'm not completely lost?" Tony asks, getting anxious.

"Um, I guess, what do you want to know?" Steve asked, obviously getting nervous again.

"Alright, do I know them?" Yeah, okay, that was a really stupid question, he probably would have told me by now if I didn't know them."

"Yeah, you just might," Steve said with a half smile.

Tony looked at him confused as to what he meant by that, but disregarded it. "Okay, are they a part of S.H.E.I.L.D or the Avengers?"

He didn't think about it too long, before he gave a nod.

"Hmmmm... Last question...," Tony hummed thoughtfully, trying to think of another question, realizing that he really didn't have anymore,he was actually pretty surprised that he still met the criteria after two questions to begin with. The only question that he could think of was if it was male or female, even though Tony was pretty sure it would be female. "Okay, well, this is probably a stupid question, but gender?" Tony asked hoping against hope the answer would be male.

Steve looked a little more awkward than before and coughed out, "Male," before turning away and blushing.

Tony's eyes widen and he bites down on his lip to refrain from grinning, Well, this just got even more interesting, Tony thought excitedly.

Steve looks up at Tony surprised that Tony didn't freak out about the new information, "It's interesting? I thought you'd be disgusted."

"Oh, I said that out loud?" Tony asked not realizing that he had, "but, why would I be? This isn't the forties anymore and beside that, I think that you love who you love and you can't help or change that." Woah, I just got pretty deep there, Tony thought.

"Steve gave a sigh of relief and relaxed a bit. "So... Are you going to guess or not?" He looks up smiling goofily.

"Well, since you asked so nicely," I tease, "um, Bruce?" Tony guessed, even with those three guessed he was completely lost and too high over the moon about it actually being a guy to think straight.

Steve gives a short laugh, "No, definitely not."

"Hmmm... Hawkeye, maybe?"

Steve doesn't even dignify that with and answer, instead, he gives a Tony a glare.

"Hey! Don't look at me like that, they both fit the criteria!" Tony defends himself.

"Yeah, well, so do half the agents at S.H.E.I.L.D, but you didn't guess them!" Steve shoots back.

"Whatever," Tony folds his arms defiantly, then looks at Steve, "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Tony accuses, narrowing his eyes at Steve jokingly.

"Maybe, Steve answers flirtatiously.

*******************************************  
It had been about fifteen minutes and Tony was still no where near the right answer, even though he had basically guessed everyone that qualified, well besides himself, but he didn't wanna get his hopes up with that one.

"Ughhhh... Just tell me!" Tony whines, about to give up all together.

"No, this is fun," Steve said stubbornly.

"Of course it's fun for you! You love to torture me!" Tony whines more dramatically this time.

"No, now guess" Steve commands bossily.

"Fine...," Tony grumbled. He had basically given up on giving logical guesses and was just giving him ridiculous ones. "Nick Fury?" Tony guesses jokingly.

"What? How'd you know?" Steve says gasping in mock surprise.

Tony nearly toppled his chair over, "Oh god, seriously?"

"No, genius, I was kidding. I just wanted to see your reaction, which was hilarious by the way."

"I'm really starting to hate you right now," Tony teases.

"No you don't, you could never hate me," Steve answered confidently.

"Yeah, you're right, I don't, but seriously, I give up. I can't think of anyone else," Tony says after thinking a while longer.

"Are you serious? You forgot the one person that you're closest to!" Steve looked at Tony dumbfounded.

I told you, I seriously can't think of anyone else!" If it was someone close to me, then I should have guessed it already by now, Tony thought completely forgetting himself.

Steve's POV

Wow, he's either being really stupid or just thickheaded, Steve thought irritably.

"Just tell me," Tony whines again, pouting.

"But you should know!" Steve shot back at him, frustrated.

"I already told you I don't know, so stop being ridiculous and tell me!" Tony shouts, equally frustrated.

Steve gives up and just let's it all out, "You, you idiot! I'm in love with you, for god's sake! You are the densest and the most thick headed person I've met! I love you, I love your stubbornness, your determination, your looks, I love ev-"

Tony cut off Steve's outburst with his lips on Steve's. Steve froze for a moment, trying to decide whether this was a dream or not, but decided he didn't really care if it was or not. Steve kisses him back, hard and snakes his arms around Tony's waist. In return, Tony puts his own arms around Steve's neck. He bits down on Steve's lip and Steve gasps, allowing Tony to deepen the kiss. Unfortunately, even though they were superheroes, they were still humans and they had to breath.

"I love you, too, you idiot," Tony says blushing.

"That's awesome," Steve replies happily pulling him in to kiss Tony again.

Maybe it was Steve's day after all.


End file.
